A Brief Analysis of the Protagonist’s Great Expectations in Great Expectations

1、a brief analysis of the protagonists great expectations in great expectationscontentsabstract.1key words1i. introduction.11.1 general introduction to the author.11.2 general introduction to the story .21.3 introduction to the background of the english society and the development of gentleman .3ii. a

2、nalysis of the development of the protagonists inner world.42.1 social atmosphere in the 19th century42.2 three phases different development of the protagonist pips “great expectations”.42.2.1 the first phases development of pips great expectations .52.2.2 the second phases development of pips “grea

3、t expectations”. 72.2.3 the third phases development of pips “great expectations”.9iii. conclusion.13references.14摘要： 查尔斯狄更斯是英国19世纪批判现实主义小说的代表作家之一。作为他的后期主要作品之一，远大前程是一部教育小说，是描写个人成长和发展的小说。本文主要分析远大前程中主人公皮普的痛苦心理旅程。狄更斯将皮普的“远大前程”分为三个阶段，本文也从三个阶段对皮普的“远大前程”进行简单的分析，揭示英国腐败的资本主义社会和当时的等级制度对一个人的成长和发展的影响，同时评价狄更斯幽默

4、、讽刺的写作风格。关键词：远大前程；等级制度；良知；真爱；忠诚abstract: charles dickens is one of english realistic critics in the 19th century. as one of his late works, great expectations is a bildungsroman novel depicting growth and personal development. this paper mainly analyzes the protagonist of great expectations, pips bi

5、tter mental journey. dickens divides pips “great expectations” into three phases, so this paper also briefly analyzes pips three phases different “great expectations”, and then displays how english corrupt capitalism and the class system at that time influenced on ones growth and development, furthe

6、rmore discusses the writing styles of dickens: humorous and satiric. key words: great expectations; class system; conscience; affection; loyaltyi. introduction1.1 general introduction to the authorcharles dickens is english novelist and one of the most popular writers in the history of literature. i

7、n his enormous body of works, dickens combined masterly storytelling, humor, pathos, and irony with sharp social criticism and acute observation of people and places, both real and imagined(zhang boxiang 2005, 3). charles dickens is considered to be one of englands most popular writers worldwide.cha

8、rles dickens was born in portsmouth in 1812. he died on 9 june 1870, and he was buried in the poets corner of westminster abbey. his father played an important role in charles dickenss youth since he was imprisoned for three months for debt when young charles was only 12. the child was briefly emplo

9、yed then in a blacking warehouse. dickens was so traumatized by all his early humiliations that he did not give his autobiography to publish. thanks to an inheritance he could study shorthand and enters a solicitors office as clerk. later he becomes a news reporter on morning herald, where he publis

10、hes sketches by boz, its success making him write the posthumous papers of the pickwick club (1836-1837). driven by publication in monthly serialization, dickens has a very creative period and in his novels he denounces his abusing times. in 1837 he publishes oliver twist. disappointed by a slaving

11、america, he publishes in volume form american notes (1842). carlyle influenced his historic novel barnaby rudge (1841), and dickens admires him strongly. from 1843 to 1845 a christmas carol, the chimes and the cricket of the heard appear, leaving a mark on the anglo-saxon sensitivity. when the event

12、s in 1848 took place, dickens was in europe, where he publishes dombey and son, bringing up the punishment of pride. the themes of children appear again in david copperfield (1849-1850) and that of falsehood in bleak house (1852-1853). exploiting capitalism is denounced in hard times (1854). after s

13、plitting up with his wife, he writes great expectations (1861) and our mutual friend (1864-1865), his last completed work where, like in little dorrit (1857), dickenss social criticism becomes more radical and his comedy more savage (http:/www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2006, 3, 8).1.2 general introd

14、uction to the storythe novel great expectations written by charles dickens was published as a weekly series in 1860 and in book form in 1861. many of the events from dickens early life are mirrored in great expectations, which, apart from david copperfield, is his most autobiographical novel. it is

15、a bildungsroman novel depicting growth and personal development (brian phillips, wendy cheng 2003, 9 p.13).great expectations is considered as his most autobiographical novel, a bildungsroman novel depicting growth and personal development. this story to some degree is the reflection of the english

16、society in the 19th century. at the same time, we can know the universal thoughts and the feelings of the people at that time. great expectations is one of the finest “psychological gothic” and a bildungsroman novel. great expectations is the story of pip, an orphan boy adopted by a blacksmiths fami

17、ly, who has good luck and great expectations, and then loses both his luck and his expectations. through this rise and fall, however, pip learns how to find happiness. he learns the meaning of friendship and the meaning of love and, of course, becomes a better person for it. the main character is pi

18、p who strives for his great expectations and changed from a non-selfish country boy to a snobbish youngster, and realized his mistakes in the end. dickenss great expectations is “dark” with a sense of social estrangement. its keynote is the orphan pips intuition of life as a “universal struggle”, it

19、s arena increasingly london, the site of the modernity (john o jordan 2003 p 78). it is written in old style language so this makes it quite hard to understandsome words dont seem to make sense. also he changes the spelling of a word when its said in a different accent, which is really confusing (ah

20、lers, emily 2006, 3, 8).though a dark novel, great expectations was deliberately more humorous than its predecessor a tale of two cities, and even while it presented dickenss ever present social critique, it did so in a way that made people laugh (/ classicnotes/titles/greate

21、xpectations/about.html 2006, 3).to me, this is a true love story. the fundamental lesson of the story is that love is pain, a philosophy i personally subscribe to. estella, a weapon designed by a heartbroken old woman to destroy the lives of men. she will turn on the heat just to the point where men

22、 will kill for her and then walk away. the story follows the life of pip, a boy who we later find out is the training partner to the deadly estella. he is the mouse that the boa sharpens its teeth on. he spends his whole life trying to get her, only to lose her just when he thinks he has succeeded.

23、to me, the story is perfect with only some slightly uncomfortable scenes surrounding a particular subplot with pip and his secret benefactor. the emotion is fast paced and very intense. in a word, an excellent view of love through different scenery is not too bad a remark of the dickens classic.1.3

24、introduction to the background of the english society and the development of gentleman no matter in what age or country dickenss characters exist: they are pure, refined and gentle-hearted. some of the unforgettable characters like oliver twist (oliver twist), little nell (the old curiosity shop), p

25、aul dombey (dombey and son), david copperfield (david copperfield), little dorrit (little dorrit), and little pip (great expectations), have become well-known figures throughout the world, and everyone wants to be a gentleman or virtuous young woman at that time, which were influenced by industrial

26、revolution. this time period was one of incredible change in great britain and the united states. vast cultural, social, and technological changes occurred. in general, the industrial revolution brought prosperity and urbanization to the united states.ii. analysis of the development of the protagoni

27、sts inner worldthis novel depicts a process of maturation and self-discovery through pips experience as a protagonist moves from childhood to adulthood.i will analyze the development of the protagonists inner world from three aspects as follows: social atmosphere in the 19th century, three phases di

28、fferent development of pips “great expectations.”2.1 social atmosphere in the 19th centurypeople at that time were influenced by the industrial revolution. throughout great expectations, dickens explores the class system of victorian england, ranging from the most wretched criminal (magwitch) to the

29、 poor peasants of the marsh country (joe and biddy) to the middle class (pumblechook) to the very rich (miss havisham). the class system deeply impacted them, which is based on the post-industrial revolution model of victorian england.2.2 three phases different development of the protagonist pips “g

30、reat expectations”the novel great expectations mainly describes three phases different development of the protagonists “great expectations”. here i will individually analyze every phases development of pips “great expectations.”in my view, pip is an idealist at heart. he always longs to get somethin

31、g that is better than what he has had, which we can see from the novel obviously. when he visits to miss havisham and see satis house and estella, he longs to be a wealthy gentleman and can marry estella; when he is aware of his moral shortcomings, he longs to be good; when he is conscious that he c

32、ant read, he longs to learn, which fully embody themes of this novel: ambition and self-improvement, also completely reflect ambition and self-improvement of pip. pip thinks that life can be advanced and he has “great expectations” in his future. in the novel, ambition and self-improvement take thre

33、e aspects: moral, social and education, which motivate pips best and worst behavior. these can also be seen in the novel. firstly, when he does immoral deeds and feels quite guilty, he treats himself very sternly and hopes to improve his own morality. for instance, when he goes to london, he treats

34、joe and biddy badly, so he feels torment. secondly, when he sees estella in satis house, pip longs to be one of her social class, and, encouraged by mrs. joe and mr. pumblechook, he has fantasy of being a gentleman. this fantasy forms the basic plot of the novel. however, pips life as a gentleman is

35、 no more satisfying and clearly no more moral than his previous life as a blacksmiths apprentice. thirdly, pip longs to improve his own education. this wish is deeply related with his social ambition and longing to marry estella for a full education is a requirement of being a gentleman. at last, th

36、rough the experiences of joe, biddy and magwitch, pip realizes that social and educational improvement is irrelevant to ones real worth, and conscience and affection are more valuable than learning and social standing.2.2.1 the first phases development of pips “great expectations”at the beginning of

37、 the novel, dickens introduces us to pip, who acts as both the young protagonist of great expectations and the narrator of the story who looks back on his own story as an adult. dickens uses a person to write the whole story. we are told that the protagonist of great expectations, pip is a poor coun

38、tryside orphan, who is brought up by his piquant sister and the kind-hearted brother-in-law, the blacksmith, joe. when little pip is sitting in front of his parents and five broters graves in the churchyard, he encounters an escaped and bullying convict, magwitch. magwitch threatens pip to bring him

39、 a file and some food. pip has to steals a file and some food for magwitch from his sisters house with fear. even though he is afraid, pip instinctively displays a sympathetic reaction. as magwitch eats mouthful, pip even puts away his fear to say, “ im glad you enjoy it.” here we can see that pip i

40、s a pure, good and sympathetic countryside boy. dickens uses many foreshadowings for carpeting in this novel. we can also see this. the first meeting between pip and magwitch will develop into the central relationship in this novel, which will cause pips “great expectations” for him to rise and fall

41、 (/2006, 3 ). pip not only lost his parents but is being raised by his stern sister. under such circumstance, pip and joe, his brother-in-law, respect and support with each other. pip treats joe as his best friend and loves him. he thinks that joe is very great and he hopes t

42、o be a blacksmith as joe.the relationship, however, between pip and joe, is destroyed. pip is introduced by mr.pumblechook to a noblewoman, miss havisham, who lives in satis house and has become half-crazy because she was abandoned by her lover on her wedding day. there pip encounters beautiful but

43、cold-hearted estella, who was adopted by miss havisham as a tool of revenge on men, and falls in love with her deeply. but estella laughs at him and looks down upon him. after that, pip is fascinated by the showy life of the high society, and he begins to despise good but poor-cultured joe and he is

44、 shamed for his own lower parentage. pips desire for advancement largely overshadows his basic goodness. this pip understands ideas like poverty, ignorance, and immorality, he does not want to be poor, ignorant, or immoral any more. thus pip all longs to be into the high society and to be a wealthy

45、gentleman so that he can marry estella as his wife someday. this is his initial “great expectations”, but his expectations becomes ashes. at last pip still becomes to be joes apprentice. reality is far away from his “great expectations”. thus pip begins to complain of present life to biddy, his anot

46、her good friend, and he is not satisfied with present condition. biddys comfort and suggestions dont still work. when in the fourth year as joes apprentice, jaggers, a famous lawyer in london, appears in front of pip and joe, and tells pip that an anonymous benefactor funds pip to london for further

47、 education as a gentleman. at the beginning, he thinks that it is miss havisham who knowingly cultivated him so that he can marry estella in future. pip thinks himself has “great expectations” eventually.in the first stage of pips “great expectations”, obviously anything that pip sees in satis house

48、 is magnificent but dark and decadent. however, exactly anything in satis house tempts pip and makes him want to be into the high society and to be a wealthy gentleman. it is ironic that the loveless environment of the satis house is representative of the higher society that pip would like to rise t

49、o. here we can how corrupt capitalism society and class system influence on ones growth and development, and we can also see peoples longing for wealth and improving social position. in fact, ones class is rigid and preexisting. but pip is allured by gorgeous semblance of capitalism and germinates t

50、he fantasy of being a wealthy gentleman when he visits to satis house and sees estella, and wants to marry her. when miss havisham informs him to be an apprentice of the blacksmith, joe, his brother-in-law, his “great expectations” evaporates. during the time as a blacksmiths apprentice, pip always

51、complains and isnt satisfied with present conditions. when jaggers appears and tells that an anonymous supporter subsidizes pip to get further education of being a gentleman. here we feel pips “great expectations” could also come true. who is pips anonymous supporter? pip and us both want to know th

52、e answer. so dickens successfully attracts us to continue the following plot.in the first stage of pips “expectations,” his “expectations” vary with his social station and the environment surrounding him, and end with pips leave for london.2.2.2 the second phases development of pips “great expectati

53、ons”in this section, london is the setting for pips great expectations, but immediately we find it rather ugly, unnatural, and suffocating, giving us an indication of how those great expectations may be played out. ironically, looking at jaggers office, we can feel how pips grand future will be. the

54、 only warm spot appears to be herbert, whom pip had first met under strange and violent circumstances in satis house in the first phase of pips “great expectations”. when pip is in mr.pockets house, here dickens makes two criticisms aimed at english society. the first is a humorous critique of engla

55、nds obsession with titles in their class system. mrs.pocket always fancies that her father is or is to be a baron and she is caught up into the class system in complete oblivion to what is going on around her. the second criticism is dickenss continuing them of child abuse, and many ways in which ch

56、ildren are oppressed and marginalized. in this section, we know that guilt or innocence is not decided in jaggerss mind by who is actually guilty or innocent, or even who has the most evidence or not, it is based on the talent of the lawyer to massage out of the participants the desired verdict. onc

57、e again, dickens criticizes rather directly the judicial system and lawyers in general.in the second stage of pips “great expectations”, after receiving his mysterious fortune, his idealistic wishes seem to have been reasonable, and he gives himself over to a gentlemanly life of idleness. pip and he

58、rbert live a luxurious life in london, and pip gets into a large number of debts. and pips idealism often leads him to perceive the world rather narrowly, and his tendency to oversimplify situations based on superficial values leads him to behave badly toward the people who care about him. when he becomes a gentleman, for example, pip immediately begins to act as he thinks a gentleman is supposed to act,